World Cup Group Stage Betting Tips

By Benson Chikezie, Senior Author

The stage is set for the grandest, most prestigious, and arguably the most anticipated tournament in world football: The FIFA World Cup. The quadrennial football World Cup has produced some of the most iconic moments in the sport’s history and has moved from continent to continent since 1958. This 2022, Qatar will host the competition, and the opening ceremony is scheduled for the 21st of November 2022.

Thirty-two teams will be in Qatar to vie for the iconic gold-plated trophy, and they are usually split into eight groups of four teams each for the first round of the competition, known as the group stage. They emerged from a qualification process unique to every continental football association registered under FIFA. Qualifiers began as early as June 2019, with the smaller footballing nations in Asia kicking off first.

Qualifiers are ending, and most nations have already secured their Qatar FIFA World Cup 2022 berth (30 out of 32). You can now look forward to the Group Stage and place your bets ahead of time. At BetNinjas, you can find the best betting tips and predictions on the FIFA World Cup 2022 Group Stage.

All You Need to Know About The World Cup’s Group Stage

As the world prepares to be entertained by footballing masterclasses in the World Cup, few enthusiasts know how FIFA set up the World Cup Group Stage and formed the groups. BetNinjas to the rescue!

FIFA held a draw that 29 teams participated in (these 29 teams had already secured qualification) on April 1st. The other three slots belong to the teams that come out on top in the continental playoffs, and Wales has already taken one slot. The other two will be filled by whoever comes out on top in the following inter-continental playoff matches:

  • ICP1: Australia/UAE vs. Peru, scheduled for June 13th.
  • ICP2: Costa Rica vs. New Zealand, scheduled for June 14th.

All 32 teams were placed in four pots, eight for each pot, according to their performances on the FIFA World Rankings, and one team was selected from each pot to fill each group. The host nation, Qatar, was in the first pot, along with the seven highest-ranked nations that qualified. Here is the breakdown of each pot:

  1. Qatar, Brazil, Belgium, France, Argentina, England, Spain, and Portugal
  2. Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland, Uruguay, Croatia, United States, and Mexico
  3. Iran, Japan, Serbia, Morocco, Poland, South Korea, Senegal, Tunisia
  4. Ecuador, Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Canada, Cameroon, Wales, New Zealand/Costa Rica, and Peru/Australia/United Arab Emirates

Group Stage Qualification Model

The group stage will set the tone for the tournament, as each team will play three matches against other teams in its group. The group stage primarily uses a points-awarding system to determine which team progresses or is disqualified. For a win, the winning team will be awarded three points, a draw will fetch both teams one point each, and a loss will yield no point.

The 32-team FIFA World Cup does not use the best losers qualification formula. The top two teams in each group will progress to the Round of 16, where they will be paired with the top two teams from the next group. The winner of Group A, for instance, will take on the team that comes second in Group B, while the winner of Group B will face the team that comes in second place in Group A, and so on.

Tiebreakers

Every team in the same group will be ranked using a two-step model. For the first step, the teams with the

  • The greatest number of points obtained in all group matches,
  • Goal difference in all group matches,
  • The greatest number of goals scored in all group matches are considered.

In order of importance, the points ranking comes first, and the other criteria will only be considered if any two teams are tied on points and one team has fewer points. When any two teams in Qatar are tied based on the first step, the second step will apply accordingly:

  • The greatest number of points obtained in the group matches between the teams concerned;
  • Goal difference resulting from the group matches between the teams concerned;
  • Greater number of goals scored in all group matches between the teams concerned;
  • Greater number of points obtained in the fair play conduct of the teams based on yellow and red cards received in all group matches;
  • Drawing lots by FIFA.

Source: FIFA

Every Team at The Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup

Playing at the World Cup is a dream for every football player and nation. For Qatar 2022, we can confirm that 30 qualifying spots are taken at the time of writing, and the host nation, Qatar, automatically occupied one slot.

No two teams from the same continent are in the same group, except Europe, with 13 automatic qualification slots.

Here is a breakdown of how each team emerged from their various continental qualification rounds:

  • UEFA/Europe
    • From Qualifier Groups: Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Croatia, England, Germany.
    • Through Playoffs: Wales, Portugal, and Poland.
  • CONMEBOL
    • Qualified: Brazil, Argentina, Ecuador, Uruguay.
    • Playoff Team: Peru (playoff game scheduled for June 13th)
  • CAF
    • Qualified: Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia, Cameroon, Morocco.
  • CONCACAF
    • Qualified: Canada, Mexico, United States of America.
    • Playoff Team: Costa Rica (playoff scheduled for June 14th).
  • AFC
    • Qualified: IR Iran, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Japan.
    • Playoff Teams: Australia and United Arab Emirates (The winner will take on Peru on June 13th).
  • OFC
    • Playoff Team: New Zealand (playoff scheduled for June 14th).

You can find all the teams and their respective groups in the table below:

Group AGroup BGroup CGroup DGroup EGroup FGroup GGroup H
QatarEnglandArgentinaFranceSpainBelgiumBrazilPortugal
EcuadorIR IranSaudi ArabiaDenmarkGermanyCanadaSerbiaGhana
SenegalUSAMexicoTunisiaJapanMoroccoSwitzerlandUruguay
NetherlandsWalesPolandWinner of ICP1Winner of ICP2CroatiaCameroonKorea Republic

FIFA World Cup 2022 Group Stage Schedule

The Group Stage of the Qatar 2022 World Cup will run from the 21st of November to the 3rd of December, with three rounds of matches expected. You can find the schedule below:

DateTeamsTime (IST)
21st NovemberSenegal vs. Netherlands15:30
England vs. Iran18:30
Qatar vs. Ecuador21:30
22nd NovemberUSA vs. Wales00:30
Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia15:30
Denmark vs. Tunisia18:30
Mexico vs. Poland21:30
23rd NovemberMorocco vs. Croatia15:30
Germany vs. Japan18:30
24th NovemberBelgium vs. Canada00:30
Switzerland vs. Cameroon15:30
Uruguay vs. South Korea18:30
Portugal vs. Ghana21:30
25th NovemberBrazil vs. Serbia00:30

**France will take on the winner of the ICP1.
**Spain will meet the winner of ICP2.

DateTeamsTime (IST)
25th NovemberWales vs. Iran15:30
 Qatar vs. Senegal18:30
 Netherlands vs. Ecuador21:30
26th NovemberEngland vs. USA00:30
 Poland vs. Saudi Arabia18:30
 France vs. Denmark21:30
27th NovemberArgentina vs. Mexico00:30
 Belgium vs. Morocco18:30
 Croatia vs. Canada21:30
28th NovemberSpain vs. Germany00:30
 Cameroon vs. Serbia15:30
 South Korea vs. Ghana18:30
 Brazil vs. Switzerland21:30
29th NovemberPortugal vs. Uruguay00:30

** Tunisia will take on the winner of ICP1.
** Japan will play the winner of ICP2.

DateTeamsTime (IST)
29th NovemberEcuador vs. Senegal20:30
 Qatar vs. Senegal20:30
30th NovemberIran vs. USA00:30
 Wales vs. England00:30
 Tunisia vs. France20:30
1st DecemberPoland vs. Argentina00:30
 Saudi Arabia vs. Mexico00:30
 Canada vs. Spain20:30
 Croatia vs. Belgium20:30
2nd DecemberJapan vs. Spain00:30
 Ghana vs. Uruguay20:30
 South Korea vs. Portugal20:30
3rd DecemberCameroon vs. Brazil00:30
 Serbia vs. Switzerland00:30

** Denmark will play against the winner of ICP1.
** The winner of ICP2 will face Germany.

Credit: Roadtrips

BetNinjas World Cup 2022 Group Stage Betting Tips & Predictions

The FIFA World Cup 2022 presents another opportunity for football enthusiasts to be rewarded for their passion through football betting. As is our custom at BetNinjas, we bring you the best World Cup 2022 Group Stage betting odds for winning each group and predictions for the teams to progress:

Group A Betting Tips

Group A hosts Qatar, African champions Senegal, the impressive Oranje of Netherlands, and Ecuador. Naturally, Qatar is an outsider in this group. This is the first World Cup that the hosts would feature in, but their home advantage may not be enough as they will come against superior sides in Netherlands, Senegal, and Ecuador.

The Netherlands are favorites to win the group, from their performance in qualification and history at the biggest stage. They may have never won the competition, but they have sufficient talent in Virgil van Dijk, Memphis Depay, Denzel Dumfries, and other top European players who can rise to any occasion.

Senegal has Sadio Mane, who just became their highest-ever goalscorer, Edouard Mendy, and is Africa’s reigning champion. Ecuador has the talent of Juan Cuadrado and Co, which may prove crucial. The two will likely slug it out for the second place, with the Netherlands highly placed to win the group. Qatar may pull off an upset; this is football, after all.

Here are our tips for Group A:

  • Group winners: Netherlands.
  • To qualify: Senegal.
SportsbooksQatarEcuadorSenegalNetherlands
Paripesa14.55.651.51
Dafabet15.007.005.501.40
22Bet14.55.651.51

Group A Points Table

Group AMatches PlayedGoal DifferencePoints
Qatar000
Ecuador000
Senegal000
Netherlands000

Group B Betting Tips

In Group B, three countries with the English language as their lingua franca will come up against one another. England, the United States, and Gareth Bale’s Wales will be joined by the Islamic Republic of Iran, with the latter considered outsiders.

England’s route to the World Cup was fairly straightforward, and they qualified with games to spare. They are one of the top favorite teams to win the tournament, so they would naturally be favorites to win their group. They may even go on to claim maximum points like in the Euros. The USA, with Christian Pulisic and a young squad with exciting talents, found their way to another World Cup, and they will be itching to prove a point.

The most historic story in this group belongs to Wales, who are playing in just their first World Cup since 1958. They certainly have a point to prove in this tournament. Skipper Gareth Bale called off his retirement plans until after the tournament, and with Bale, you can expect an inspired performance from the Welsh.

Here are our thoughts on Group B:

  • Group winners: England.
  • To qualify: Wales.
SportsbooksEnglandUSAWalesIR Iran
Paripesa1.346.706.3021.00
Dafabet1.336.507.0017.00
22Bet1.346.706.3021.00

Group B Points Table

Group BMatches PlayedGoal DifferencePoints
England000
IR Iran000
USA000
Wales000

Group C Betting Tips

Argentina’s star-studded side are on an unbeaten streak that stretches back over 35 games, and they have a Lionel Messi who seems to come to life when donning the Albiceleste’s colors. They sealed the Finalissima trophy and will look to crown a trophy-laden two years with victory in Qatar. Leo Messi and Co. will have to go through Robert Lewandowski’s Poland, who found their way to the tournament via the European playoffs.

Poland are a valid threat to any side, mostly because of their star striker, yet, Mexico is another team to watch out for. Both sides (Poland and Mexico) will slug it out for the second place, with Qatar’s neighbors, Saudi Arabia, considered outsiders. The oil-rich Middle Eastern nation is not exactly known for its football prowess, and the odds on the sportsbooks below clearly reflect they have the least chance of winning the group.

Here are our predictions for this group:

  • Group winners: Argentina.
  • To qualify: Mexico.

You can find the World Cup Group Stage betting odds for Group C below:

SportsbooksArgentinaPolandMexicoSaudi Arabia
Paripesa1.4585.105.3524.00
Dafabet1.405.506.0021.00
22Bet1.4585.105.3524.00

Group C Points Table

Group CMatches PlayedGoal DifferencePoints
Argentina000
Saudi Arabia000
Mexico000
Poland000

Group D Betting Tips

This group remains wide open, as its fourth member is yet unknown. Whichever team progresses from the first intercontinental playoff match scheduled for June 13 will be the final member of Group D, which will add a new twist to the current odds for the other teams to win the group.

France are the defending champions of the World Cup and have arguably the most complete side in the tournament. They are natural favorites to scale their first hurdle as they aim to defend their World Cup crown and are expected to easily go past Tunisia, Denmark, and whichever team joins them in the group.

The Danish are another outstanding team and have garnered a lot of popularity since the Christian Eriksen incident at the Euros. They are one team to watch out for. Tunisia are outsiders in this group, and they may yet make something out of their underdog status. Here are our thoughts on Group D:

  • Group winners: France.
  • To qualify: Denmark.
SportsbooksTunisiaDenmarkFranceWinner of ICP1
Paripesa18.004.981.35
Dafabet19.004.001.35
22Bet18.004.981.35

Group D Points Table

Group DMatches PlayedGoal DifferencePoints
France000
Denmark000
Tunisia000
Winner of ICP1000

Group E Betting Tips

Two European giants are joined by Japan and the winner of the second intercontinental playoff match to form Group E, and the prospects are certainly interesting. A match between Spain and Germany is worthy of the knockout stages, but football fans will be treated to the spectacle in the group stages. Even the sportsbooks disagree on the favorites to win the group, with Dafabet favoring Germany, while 22Bet and Paripesa favor Spain.

Germany’s outing at the last World Cup was a disgrace, and they will be desperate to do better this time. The Japanese are regulars at World Cups but have not made much impact. They will look to make a mark this time around, but we doubt that they would be able to trouble Spain or Germany. The group remains open as we are yet to know its final member, as the playoff between Costa Rica and New Zealand. Keep your fingers crossed.

Here are our tips for this group, as we keep our fingers crossed, waiting for either Costa Rica or New Zealand:

  • Group winners: Germany
  • To qualify: Spain
SportsbooksSpainGermanyJapanWinner of ICP2
Paripesa2.3181.6017.00
Dafabet1.852.2010.00
22Bet2.3181.6017.00

Group E Points Table

Group EMatches PlayedGoal DifferencePoints
Spain000
Germany000
Japan000
Winner of ICP2000

Group F Betting Tips

Two European giants are joined by Japan and the winner of the second intercontinental playoff match to form Group E, and the prospects are certainly interesting. A match between Spain and Germany is worthy of the knockout stages, but football fans will be treated to the spectacle in the group stages. Even the sportsbooks disagree on the favorites to win the group, with Dafabet favoring Germany, while 22Bet and Paripesa favor Spain.

Germany’s outing at the last World Cup was a disgrace, and they will be desperate to do better this time. The Japanese are regulars at World Cups but have not made much impact. They will look to make a mark this time around, but we doubt that they would be able to trouble Spain or Germany. The group remains open as we are yet to know its final member, as the playoff between Costa Rica and New Zealand. Keep your fingers crossed.

Here are our tips for this group, as we keep our fingers crossed, waiting for either Costa Rica or New Zealand:

  • Group winners: Germany
  • To qualify: Spain
SportsbooksSpainGermanyJapanWinner of ICP2
Paripesa2.3181.6017.00
Dafabet1.852.2010.00
22Bet2.3181.6017.00

Group F Points Table

Group FMatches PlayedGoal DifferencePoints
Belgium000
Canada000
Morocco000
Croatia000

Group G Betting Tips

The favorites to win Qatar 2022, Brazil, have a fairly straightforward path to the knockout stages. They are favorites to win their group, whose other members are Serbia, Switzerland, and Cameroon. Neymar and Co. believe they have a solid chance of winning the World Cup, so we expect them to approach the tournament with blazing guns.

European sides know how to grind for results, so two European sides in a group can be concerning for any other team. Switzerland have a mixture of youth in Breel Embolo and experience in Xherdan Shaqiri, while Serbia are a formidable side on a good day. AFCON 2022 hosts Cameroon dramatically got the better of Algeria to qualify for the World Cup, and they boast a mix of technique and physicality.

Group G will be closely contested, although we expect Brazil to come out on top. One cannot rule out Cameroon, too, although Switzerland and Serbia are stronger teams. Here are our predictions for this fixture:

  • Group winners: Brazil.
  • To qualify: A tight call, but we expect Serbia to find a way to progress.
SportsbooksBrazilSwitzerlandSerbiaCameroon
Paripesa1.3566.17.213.00
Dafabet1.445.506.5013.00
22Bet1.3566.17.213.00

Group G Points Table

Group GMatches PlayedGoal DifferencePoints
Brazil000
Serbia000
Switzerland000
Cameroon000

Group H Betting Tips

Ghana will come face to face with the team that eliminated them in the quarterfinals in 2014 (Uruguay), a Korea Republic team led by Premier League Golden Boot winner Heung Min Son, and a hungry Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line for his Portugal side. An interesting matchup to look out for is Ronaldo’s Portugal against Suarez and Co. of Uruguay, with the latter widely known for their physical and conservative style of play.

Expectedly, Portugal are favorites to win the group, boasting a horde of established stars in Cristiano Ronaldo, Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Rui Patricio, and others. Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani will be playing their last World Cup, and they will look to prove a point and go out strong. Korea Republic and Ghana are outsiders, but it will be interesting to see how both teams fare when they go up against one another. Here are our tips for the final group:

  • Group winners: Portugal.
  • To qualify: Uruguay.
SportsbooksPortugalUruguayGhanaKorea Republic
Paripesa1.683.0411.0011.00
Dafabet1.653.0012.0012.00
22Bet1.683.0411.0011.00

Group H Points Table

Group HMatches PlayedGoal DifferencePoints
Portugal000
Ghana000
Uruguay000
Korea Republic000

Best Betting Sites in India for the World Cup 2022 Group Stage

At BetNinjas, your ease when betting on football is our priority. We not only bring you the best World Cup Group Stage betting tips, but we have also prepared a list of recommended football betting sites in India where you can find great World Cup 2022 odds and enjoy a stress-free experience as you place your bets.

These betting sites did not make it to this list randomly. Experts at BetNinjas have vetted these platforms individually, checking them based on safety, security, regulatory compliance, ease of use, smooth deposits and withdrawals, fair odds, and mouthwatering bonuses. We also recommend that you sign up on multiple football betting platforms so that you can compare odds for maximum profit. Take a look at some of the recommended football betting sites in India for the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group Stage:

22Bet: one of the leading football betting sites in India, and the company was established in 2017. 22Bet obtained its gambling license from the Government of Curacao and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission. 22Bet also offers great bonuses that are sure to catch your eye.

Who doesn’t love freebies?

When you sign up on 22Bet, you will receive a welcome bonus of 100% on your first deposit, up to 10,000 INR. The betting platform is also optimized for Indians, and you can set the language to Hindi if preferred. That is not all, though.

On 22Bet, you can find great outright odds for the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group Stage, along with a large variety of football betting markets to bet on, from the UEFA Champions League to the EPL. Ensure you go through the terms and conditions on bonuses and every other aspect before using the site.


Paripesa: Gradually growing popular in India, Paripesa is a great football betting platform that offers great odds, security, smooth withdrawals, and a great betting experience. Paripesa is licensed by the government of Curacao and is widely used globally, supporting over 50 different languages.

You can also get bonuses as a newbie on Paripesa, as the site offers a 100% bonus on your first deposit, up to INR 8,000. There is a minimum deposit that qualifies for the bonus, however, and it is fixed at INR 800. Paripesa also supports withdrawals in cryptocurrencies, which might be an attractive option for young, crypto-savvy football betting lovers.

For the World Cup Group Stage, Paripesa offers several match bets and outright markets under the ‘Long-Term Bets’ section. You can bet on group winners, and individual group stage matches with ease. Read the terms and conditions section on the platform to learn more about bonuses, minimum deposits, withdrawals, etc.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which Teams Qualified for the World Cup 2022 Group Stage?
32 teams, including heavyweights like Brazil, Argentina, England, Germany, Spain, and France, qualified for the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Can I Bet on the World Cup 2022 Group Stage Already?
Yes, you can. Several sportsbooks like 22bet, Dafabet, and Paripesa already have match bets and long-term Group Stage outright bets available.
When Will the 2022 World Cup Group Stage Start?
The Group Stage will kick off on the 21st of November, 2022.
Which Teams are Likely to Progress to the Round of 16?
Several top teams are favorites to progress to the Round of 16, with Spain, Brazil, the Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, and others featuring as outright favorites to win their respective groups.

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